Squirrel
by mollydegraaf
Summary: The story picks up right after season 5 finale. Daryl centered. Of course I just own my imagination. Rated T but honestly it s walking dead, nobody under 16 should be even knowing what this FanFic is about. So of course there is violence and maybe other explicit content. Formost adventure and friendship with romance possible.
1. misty morning

The morning mist starts to clear slowly as dawn casts it´s first shy beams of light through leaves and branches. Daryl has always loved this time of day, mindclearing, whether it is a son-of-a-bitch hangover from a night with Merle, recovering from a tantrum from his father or like now recalling the scene from last night.

A ferocious Rick, unrecognizable, executing another man in front of a giant group of scared people. It doesn´t feel right! That´s what his thoughts always come back to. Rick usually has a good reason why he acts like he does but ever since Beth died Daryl can only seize one thought concerning the group. Yes, I get it - but still, it doesn´t feel right.

Going out in the forrest with Aaron to find the man in the red poncho was a very welcome reason to get out of Alexandria. They had agreed to start very early so they are already hiking through the forrest for about two hours.

„So listen," suddenly Aaron disrupts his track of thoughts, "maybe we should split up to cover a bit more ground. I mean there are not many of them out here today and we stay in earshot. How about that?"

„Sounds good to me. A whistle every 10 minutes. I start."

After a while of tracing without any success, apart from the occasional fox or rabbit, Daryl feels something slightly graze his shoulder. He turns abruptly around but to his surprise finds nothing behind him but the forrest trees, when he hears a swish of leaves and something he could swear was a muttered „Shit!"

When his gaze falls on his right foot he finds a black wool stalking resting innocently on his boots. He whistles for Aaron and searches in the treetops for the source of the miraculously flying garment. When he makes out the head of a dog poking over the hem of what seems like a hammock up in the leaves above his head. Of course he points up his crossbow in the splitt of a second. „Hey get your ass down here quick, ´n´better not try anything funny!"


	2. Leni and Mila

„Okay, okay" a dark blonde pokes her head over the hem of the hammock as well, her messy long waves falling beside her head. She smiles warmly at him ignoring the crossbow „ May I negotiate a little time. I´m not decent and I just lost my sock", pointing at his foot, „climbing down barefoot is rather uncomfortable."

„60 seconds, counting now! Sixty, fiftynine, fiftyeight…"

„Gee, that man is in a hurry considering it´s the apocalypse"

Despite of himself Daryl has to smile over that comment. He can hear the nearing whistles of Aaron while he keeps the focus on the warping hammock. This gives away that somebody is getting dressed and now the dog head disappears and then few seonds later an athletic build woman is climbing down the tree wearing a giant backpack. The head of her dog looking out of the top.

When she reaches almost the ground she jumps the last part. When she turns she finds herself already in a hug from Aaron who had not even hesitated behind Daryl for a second. Since he obviously knows the stranger Daryl lowers his crossbow.

„Oh my, Leni. I am so happy to see you. I didn´t know you where back. Since when?"

„Just yesterday, I didn´t even make it to the house yet. I wanted to stop in Alexandria first. Grab a few supplies and take a shower at your house, if that is not too imposing?" - „not at all"

„So who´s my sock savior?"

„Oh, yes, right. I am so sorry. So Leni this is Daryl our new recruiter, and Daryl this is my friend Leni. And this is Mila" Aaron refers to the dog who is now excitedly sniffling Daryl´s hand and imidiately starts snuggling up to his leg.

„Well Mila likes you, so that´s a good sign." Leni says, who seems ageless to Daryl. „Just let me get my things."

That said she climbs back up the tree with her backpack and within ten minutes her tiny camp site is cleared. Her backpack carefully packed and they walk back in the direction where Daryl and Aaron have parked their vehicles. Her sunny disposition reminds him a little of Beth, but at the same time she appears less fragile. Daryl assesses her most carefully while walking. She carrys four weapons, five if you count the dog.

A bow with a couple of arrows, on her belt a knife with an approximate ten inch blade, a machete resting in a sheath attached to the back of her backpack and a slingshot. Surprisingly no gun or rifle. She carries the seemingly heavy backpack with the ease of a tiny handbag and Mila is quietly circling the group at times walking forth then falling back again with the alert expression of a hunting dog.

In a lowered voice her and Aaron are chatting away about what she had been up to recently and it would annoy Daryl terribly if she wasn´t closely observing her dog all this time letting the conversation drop at any moment Mila seemed to have scented something. The fifth time Mila points and within a second Leni has her loaded bow aiming at a couple of shrubbs in the distance.

„Munchers!" she says quietly and doesn´t seem taken aback at all that Daryl has his weapon already pointing in the same direction. While Aaron is getting carefully behind them to cover their backs the first sounds of the typical walkers moan reaches their ears.

At the first sight of them Mila swiftly comes back ducking low at their feet and snarling at the walkers but not making a sound.

With that early warning the group of ten walkers is a piece of cake. Daryl and Leni each take out four with arrows and the last one with their knifes. Doesn´t even take two minutes. But the rest of the walk they remain silent. Until Leni and Mila are sitting in Aaron´s car. „Hey Daryl", she calls from the open car window „was nice meeting you. Like to hear your story one of these days."

And with that said they head back to Alexandria.


	3. gatekeeper

When the three arrive Sasha opens the gate. It is so silent in Alexandria you would hear a pin drop. The rattle of the gate is the only sound to be heard. Sasha looks exhausted. Her halo eyes reveal that she had not found sleep last night and her entire posture lacks her usual vigor. Leni still smiles friendly but the smile is not reciprocated. Instead she orders Leni in a harsh tone to strip of all her weapons. Leni turns towards Aaron with a raised eye brow but does as she is ordered. The dog starts to growl lowly. „Where are the guns?" demands Sasha.

„There are none."

„Don´t bullshit me" Sasha is already at her throat, and Mila starts barking and snarling at Sasha „where are they, dammit! Where are the guns!"

„Is this really necessary?" Aaron tries to interfere, the entire situation is running out of hand, as Mila starts snapping at Sashas ankles.

„Get the fucking dog away or I´ll shoot it!"

This is when Daryl steps in. He gets himself between the two women and tries to calm Sasha down while Leni grabs Mila and starts talking soothingly in another language. „Sasha, Sasha! Easy, she is with us! I checked her and there are no guns."

Daryls voice is calm but determent „Who put you on guard? You are exhausted and should be in your bed, Sasha. She is okay. These people know her. Calm down now."

„Rick"

„Okay, well, go tell him I´m taking over and you go to bed. Alright?"

Sasha throws another distrusting glance at Leni and Mila and heads on. By now a couple of other inhabitants of Alexandria have come out to see what the noise was all about. And from the graveyard now there come Deanna and Spencer. Under her voice Leni mutters „What the hell happened here?"

„Long story" Daryl and Aaron answer at the same time.

„Leni, my dear", Deanna calls as she is approaching „this is divine intervention."

The older woman gives the younger a heartfelt embrace „ We need you, dear. Please don´t rush off again. I have to speak to you. But not now, not today. It is urgent. Please Aaron fill her in."

Also Spencer and Leni hug briefly but amicable and the congress woman adds while she is hurrying off „I mean it, girl. We need you now more than ever. See me tomorrow for tea, three thirty. And there is someone I like you to meet. Daryl, be a darling and introduce Leni to Maggie, please."

And with that she rushes off. Her son following her quickly. As Leni turns around she looks into Daryl´s bewildered face. She can´t help but giggle and says „So, Daryl, darling…"

„Shut up."


	4. First encounter

After a much desired shower Leni decides to get everything ready and pick up the supplies she needs. Depending on how long the talk between her and Deanna the next day will be, she might even make it to the house tomorrow before sundown. And then get ready for her next run to Lancaster, that she planned for next week. Philadelphia had been devastating, and Baltimore was even worse. The last few hideouts that had been there just a couple of month ago had been wiped out. In Baltimore she and Mila had been the only living creatures in weeks and the munchers had been all over them. Luckily Johns Hopkins was still a gold mine, so it had been worth her troubles.

Strolling through Alexandria was releaving but surreal. And now, that her glance is falling on a young boy sitting on the front porch with a baby on his knees, it is getting even stranger. Leni is intrigued. A baby, in these times. And she walks towards the kids.

„Hi!"

Carl pinches his eyes as he has to look up against the sun to see Leni´s face. "Hello."

„My name is Lena." „Carl."

„Is she your sister?"

„Yes. Her name is Judith."

„Pretty name, how old is she? She looks like seven month"

„Six month and a half."

„May I", Leni gestures at the space besides Carl on the stairs. And as he nodds she sits down beside him and gives Mila a sign to lay down. „That must have been tough. Aaron told me you just arrived like a week ago."

They sit in silence for a while, Judith is babbling and grabbing for Leni´s braclet. She takes it off and lets Judith explore it. They stay like this for a while. Leni leaning back enjoying the sun. then Judith gets whiny and starts strangling against Carl´s hold. „If you want me to, I can take her for a moment", she says „in fact I would love to. It´s been a while since I held a baby."

„Is your dog friendly?"

„Yes she is." and as Carl gives Judith to her she calls „Mila, come here and meet your new friend Carl."

„Did your family have a dog before all this happend?"

„No. My dad always wanted one. But my mom said no." Carl is fondeling the dog behind the ears and Mila leans her head against his side. Carl smiles widely „She likes me."

„Yes, she does. So? Your parents still around?" - „My Dad is."

„That´s good. I´m sorry about your mother." - „Thank you."

Suddenly Carl jumps of the stairs running towards Daryl and Rick who are coming up the street. Mila follows him and jumps up Daryl to greet him. Leni looks upon that unlikely pair of men. She gets up as well and Daryl is stretching out his arms towards Judith, who greets him with furios babbling and giggeling and her small feet kick Lenis tummy in the merry rhythm of a joyfull „Dada, Dada,Dada."

„Aw, my lil asskicker! Come here!"

And has he takes the little girl in his arms she cuddles up to his neck and shows the calmness babies have around their parents. Leni smiles over the reassuring thought in her mind that if this kind of beauty still exists in this world, it might not yet be lost. She gives a stroke over Judiths back before she says „Well, I better get going. Bye lil asskicker, bye Carl, Daryl. Mila c´mon"

But she is stopeped in her turn by Rick´s harsh comanding voice „Where do you think you´re going?" Approaching her, all sherriffs posture „You haven´t answered the questions yet. And I heard you were giving Sasha a hard time at the entrance. Not handing over your guns."

Leni´s answer is a cold frown. But Rick continues in a calm but still intimidating tone „I know things have been a little lax around here. But this is over now. I´m in charge over the safety of this town and I am establishing a new protocol. If I get one word of you giving any of my people a hard time again, there will be consequences."

The distain between the two tangible. Carl and Daryl stand like frozen. This first encounter couldn´t have gone worse. And now Leni pulls her face into an pejorative and fake smile „Is that all, officer?"

She doesn´t even wait for an answer and walks away.


End file.
